I never thought I’d revisit Christmas. The Birth of a King felt like a one-and-done. Every song I wanted to do was already there. But I always wondered if there could be more. That’s when Little Drummer Boy came to mind. So I went back to the lyrics. Really read them. And what I found was a beautiful story I had honestly never paid attention to before. I started asking people, “Do you know what Little Drummer Boy is actually about?” and every time, the answer was “No… just that there’s a drum and some pa rum pum pum pums.” That’s when it hit me. The “pa rum pum pum pums” had become a memory eraser. They were so familiar that they distracted from the actual lyrics. So… I did the unthinkable. I took them out. I kept their rhythm and musicality alive through instrumentation, but without the words themselves, the story became clear and more memorable. It’s about a poor boy who has nothing to give a newborn king, so he offers the only thing he has: his music. His heart. As I worked on it, a new chorus came to me:
What can I give to You? There’s nothing that’s fit for You, my King No silver or gold, just a heart to compose to You, my King.
It felt like the perfect thread to tie the story together. I also knew right away who needed to sing it. As I arranged the track, I kept hearing Stephen Stanley’s voice in my head. Gritty in the big moments, and tender at other times. I texted him, and he said yes immediately. His tone brought exactly what the song needed.
Little Drummer Boy is out now. I can’t wait for you to listen to the whole thing and hear the story in a new, beautiful, and fresh way
@John___Murphy This is incredible. Chills. Fan of the original Superman films. Made my heart swell.
And of course, a bit weepy over Christopher Reeve. So well done. Thank you!
“In these desperate times
Love will hold us here
Love will join our hands
Teach us to have no fear.
So we lay our hate down
To wash their feet
When we see our brother
Oh, we'll all be free
Yes, we'll all be free.”
✨🙏✨
- Song by Gungor
It is absolutely breaking my heart that people are wanting to free the person that killed the United Healthcare CEO. He murdered a human in cold blood; a person who was simply living his life and doing his job as CEO.